Len Soccio
Encyclopedia
Leonard Soccio is a retired Canadian-German ice hockey player, who most recently played for the Hannover Scorpions in the German Ice Hockey League. Currently he is a player coach of 3rd division SC Langenhagen Jets.
, an OHL
team based out of North Bay
, ON. In his four years with the Centennials, he scored 114 goals and 190 assists, totaling 304 points. In his final year, Soccio's 135 points was the second highest point total, trailing only Montreal Canadiens
draft pick Andrew Cassels
, chosen 17th overall in the NHL draft held earlier that year. Soccio would win the Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy
, which is given to the best overage player in the OHL.
Soccio started his professional hockey career in the IHL
with the Fort Wayne Komets
, where he played one game in the 1988-89 IHL season. The following year, he would play 60 games with the ECHL
's Winston-Salem Thunderbirds, where he scored 51 goals and 113 points. He, along with teammate Trent Kaese
and Bill McDougall
of the Erie Panthers
would be named the starting forwards of the East Coast Hockey League's all-star team.
After several teams in various minor leagues, Soccio sign with the Hannover Scorpions
of the DEL
. Soccio would lead the Scorpions in scoring five out his eight seasons, and would tie for the lead in another (teammate Gilbert Dionne
had the same amount of points but scored more goals). On March 7, 2006, Soccio's #20 was raised to the rafters in the form of an oversized jersey.
Soccio would later return to the Scorpions as a player-coach and would later play for SC Langenhagen, a 3rd division team where he would score 11 goals and 41 points in the 2008-09 season.
Playing career
Soccio played his junior hockey with the North Bay CentennialsNorth Bay Centennials
The North Bay Centennials were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League, who played from 1982–2002. The team was based in North Bay, Ontario.-History:...
, an OHL
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....
team based out of North Bay
North Bay, Ontario
North Bay is a city in Northeastern Ontario, Canada. It is the seat of Nipissing District, and takes its name from its position on the shore of Lake Nipissing.-History:...
, ON. In his four years with the Centennials, he scored 114 goals and 190 assists, totaling 304 points. In his final year, Soccio's 135 points was the second highest point total, trailing only Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
draft pick Andrew Cassels
Andrew Cassels
Andrew Cassels is a retired professional ice hockey centre who played sixteen seasons in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens, Hartford Whalers, Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks, Columbus Blue Jackets and Washington Capitals...
, chosen 17th overall in the NHL draft held earlier that year. Soccio would win the Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy
Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy
The Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy is awarded each year to the best overage player in the Ontario Hockey League. The Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy was donated by the trainers of the Ontario Hockey League in memory of the late Leo Lalonde, former chief scout of OHL Central Scouting.-Winners:*2010-11...
, which is given to the best overage player in the OHL.
Soccio started his professional hockey career in the IHL
IHL
IHL could refer to:* International Hockey League, the name of several different defunct hockey leagues:* International Professional Hockey League , central-eastern North America...
with the Fort Wayne Komets
Fort Wayne Komets
The Fort Wayne Komets are a minor league ice hockey franchise currently a member of the Central Hockey League in the Northern Conference. The team was previously a member of the International Hockey League before it merged into the CHL in 2010...
, where he played one game in the 1988-89 IHL season. The following year, he would play 60 games with the ECHL
ECHL
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
's Winston-Salem Thunderbirds, where he scored 51 goals and 113 points. He, along with teammate Trent Kaese
Trent Kaese
Trent Kaese is a former professional ice hockey right wing. He was drafted in the eighth round, 161st overall, by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft...
and Bill McDougall
Bill McDougall
William Henry McDougall is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. He is best known for his record setting scoring performance during the 1992–1993 AHL playoffs.-Career:...
of the Erie Panthers
Erie Panthers
The Erie Panthers were a professional hockey team, and one of the founding members in the East Coast Hockey League. Based in Erie, Pennsylvania from 1988 to 1996, they were one of the most prolific teams in the ECHL. The Panthers were known for their ability to score goals quickly and often, as...
would be named the starting forwards of the East Coast Hockey League's all-star team.
After several teams in various minor leagues, Soccio sign with the Hannover Scorpions
Hannover Scorpions
The Hannover Scorpions are a professional ice hockey team founded in 1975 as ESC Wedemark. The team was renamed Wedemark Scorpions in 1996 after the rock band Scorpions, who also call Hanover, Lower Saxony their home. Their games are played at TUI Arena of the Expo Plaza...
of the DEL
Del
In vector calculus, del is a vector differential operator, usually represented by the nabla symbol \nabla . When applied to a function defined on a one-dimensional domain, it denotes its standard derivative as defined in calculus...
. Soccio would lead the Scorpions in scoring five out his eight seasons, and would tie for the lead in another (teammate Gilbert Dionne
Gilbert Dionne
Gilbert Dionne is a retired professional ice hockey left winger who played six seasons in the National Hockey League from 1990–91 until 1995–96. He is the younger brother of Hockey Hall of Famer Marcel Dionne, who is nineteen years his senior.Dionne was drafted 81st overall by the Montreal...
had the same amount of points but scored more goals). On March 7, 2006, Soccio's #20 was raised to the rafters in the form of an oversized jersey.
Soccio would later return to the Scorpions as a player-coach and would later play for SC Langenhagen, a 3rd division team where he would score 11 goals and 41 points in the 2008-09 season.
Awards
- 1987-88: Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy
- 1989-90: ECHL All Star
- 2001-02: DEL All-Star
- 2003-03: DEL All-Star